P3 Program Receives National Award – Delegate Rudolph’s Leadership Praised
Prestigious national award presented June 28 in Washington, D.C. recognizing the achievements of the chronic disease management program for self-insured employers
The Maryland P3 Program (Patients, Pharmacists, Partnerships), a program initiated by Delegate David Rudolph in collaboration with the Maryland School of Pharmacy, was recently honored by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation with the 2010 Pinnacle Award.
The prestigious national award, presented June 28 in Washington, D.C., recognizes the achievements of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s Maryland P3 Program. The P3 Program, established in 2006, is a partnership bringing together patients, pharmacists, physicians, and employers. The program is voluntary and offers a health benefit for workers and their families by providing well-trained pharmacists who coach individuals to manage their diabetes or other chronic conditions, while preventing complications. The P3 Program has trained 170 licensed pharmacists, and in collaboration with primary care physicians, helped approximately 400 patients with diabetes by reinforcing medication adherence.
The cost of diabetes in Maryland is staggering. The cost of diabetes in Maryland is estimated to be $2.9 billion, including direct medical care cost and indirect costs attributed to lost productivity and premature mortality. The P3 Program is designed to not only improve the health care cost for employers.
Delegate Rudolph, who with pharmacists and leadership from the School of Pharmacy to develop the program, was excited when he received the call about the award. When informed of the national recognition for the P3 Program, Rudolph stated, “I believe that preventive medicine and wellness programs, such as Maryland’s P3 Program, can decrease the health care costs for our business community and improve the health of the employees involved. By insuring systematic meetings between pharmacists and patients, the P3Program has demonstrated better health for patients with diabetes and better productivity. I am pleased that the School of Pharmacy’s efforts with the P3 Program have been recognized with this prestigious award.”
According to Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner, PharmD, professor and chair of the School’s Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science and director of the Maryland P3 Program, “the P3 Program is a true partnership between the School of Pharmacy, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (MDHMH), and our business community. We are extremely grateful to Delegate Rudolph and the leadership he has provided on behalf of the P3 Program. He has played an integral role in the success of this innovative program.”
The Pinnacle awards are intended to inspire development of innovative care models that are truly patient-centered and are administered by the APhA Foundation’s Quality Center.
